I know I should be trumpeting the SNP from the hilltops but, really, Christine Grahame is a bit of a muppet.
No, really, I know every party has one but still, what exactly does Christine Grahame think she is doing trying to reclaim parts of England?
Alex Neil is a bit of a loose cannon but at least he doesn't leave you too embarrassed and even borders on sensible dialogue. Occasionally.
Ms Grahame however, my God. She's the political equivalent of your mad auntie who pulls some truly shocking eye-catching moves on the dancefloor and you can only look on, dumbstruck, praying she won't catch your eye and get you involved in whatever madness she has up her sleeves next.
Berwick upon Tweed is still recovering from its arduous, century-long war with Russia but that mad SNP lady now wants to use it in her crazy independence quest. I picture her hatching all these batty plans (perhaps over a hot cauldron) in a desperate bid to curry favour with Saviour Salmond and squeeze her bottom onto a cabinet seat.
Her mad plans for winning her Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale seat and/or driving a wedge between UK and Scotland have included a nonsensical roadblock of the Tory campaign bus during the elections, evicting the Army from Edinburgh Castle and calling an English theatre company racist.
Add to the above that Grahame (who is English by the way) is in the dubious position of having her brother employed as a 'researcher' and also the fact that she couldn't convert 2003's piddly 400 vote margin held by the Lib Dems into a winning seat for the SNP, and, well, I think it's about time the SNP did a careful bit of reselecting before the next election comes around.
Crisis? What crisis?
15 minutes ago
7 comments:
The SNP knew she was a loose cannon hence why she was flighted there as a no hoper in the first place. I suggest you take a look at Grahame's start point in terms of the majority that she has been seeking to overcome in the 10 plus years to see how big a dent she has made into TEL and that purely is down to her own graft.
I'm sorry but I have to disagree.
Christine closed the gap on the Lib Dems in 2003 simply because the local favourite Ian Jenkins stood down.
And then her "own graft" between 2003 and 2007 resulted in a poor 2nd place, barely making a dent in the slim majority from 4 years before. Infact, I've just double-checked and the majority for the Lib Dems actually increased!
She's a liability nationally and not winning the votes locally.
Kick her out I say...
I am no apologist for her and perhaps your right about SNP selection next time around but your electoral assessment is way off the mark, on the basis of your rationale that must make Jamie Hepburn a complete and utter liability. Im rather convinced you wont agree with that though.
I can assure you that I am sufficiently magnaminous to admit when I am in the wrong but I am yet to be faced with a good reason as to why I am so about Christine Grahame.
Your comparison with Jamie Hepburn carries one big hole.
In 2003, Andrew Wilson was an extremely attractive candidate for the SNP, constantly in the headlines and he showed himself to be a thoroughly intelligent candidate. He closed a truly massive gap on Cathie Craigie that year but sadly just missed out on taking the seat. The SNP selection process was something of a shambles to let such a talented man slip through their fingers.
Infact, so taken with Mr Wilson was my brother that he fudged his home address (legally, more or less) so he could vote in that constituency.
No offence to Jamie Hepburn, but he was (and still is) a relative unknown so many will have reverted back to Labour without another reason for voting for SNP beside Andrew Wilson.
I know my brother for one was not so moved as to vote in Cumbernauld and Kilsyth for a second time.
It shows how well Jamie did that he was able to hold onto the slim margin of defeat won by Andrew Wilson.
Keep in mind how deep into the Labour heartlands we're talking about here. Conversely, Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale should be comfortably winnable for the SNP if they picked the right candidate.
Incidentally, I will have no problem labelling Jamie Hepburn a liability or a loose cannon if he proves to be one. Just because I link to his blog it doesn't mean I go all doughy-eyed about the man.
Thus far, I've not seen him in action, but from what I've seen of Ms Grahame, I am content to use both of the adjective above.
I'll leave it there, with your comment "completely and utterly" shot down in flames.
Care to try again ;)
Well Jeff I must say I have enjoyed the sparring and I was just going to leave it there as an agree to disagree moment but since you laid down the gauntlet: -
Now you will have to forgive me for not being in the Holyrood loop but she has backed and been the instigator of some good local campaigns and has shown up the silence of Jeremy Perverse on a number of occasions
Depends on your opinion on what constitutes a good politician but the fact she does her own thing is something to be applauded when you consider just how slick and considered the SNP (and most other parties) operations are these days. Her equivalents down in westminster are often feted for such free spiritedness
Given she is a bit of a media junkie - I think back to that Puppies bill with horror but then her 'research' team (the Tony thing I shall leave alone!) is one of the highest requestors of FOIs with some really important finds such as the figures showing the massive increase in British Army visits to schools following the Iraq war.
On a bit of a cheesy finish these awards she keeps on getting might be crap (I think I was politician of the year in 1994) but it does seem to be recognition of work other than for physically ripping union jacks of castle/city council flag poles.
So all in I think she does do valuable work, she is stonger locally than you say and to be honest is the type of politian that every party has - can be let off the reigns and says what others can merely only hold privately because, you know, at the end of day there are plenty of people out there who do see things such as union flags in our midst as an affront and that include me.
One does not expect politicians to vocalise such sentiments but when someone does have the courage to do so then one does 'think bloody good on 'em'. We are all thinking about the 'long game' but for me, the battle has to be fought on all fronts and not just the politics of the smoke filled rooms variety.
Jeff its been a pleasure....:)
Another Anonynous - I have to agree with Jeff on this on.
I have been an SNP member for years and I dont think Grahame's tactics are particularly helpful and are not the way to win supporters to the cause in independence. We need co-operation with Engalnd and th rest of the UK on issues such like this and show that as an independent country Scotland would not be parochial but a constructive outward looking neighbour, rather than an aggressive "chip on-your shoulder" country..
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